Ask Annie (4-2-2013)

I took a few days off to celebrate Easter with my family and to catch up on my rest from our week-long house guest.  His name is Emo and he is my nephew.  Emo is a retired Greyhound and when he is at my house he sleeps in my bed and chases my cats.  He's really a good guy, and he's a lot older than me, so when he takes my bed, I just say it's OK.  I love him, but you know what they say about company ... and fish.   

But now I'm back and this week I've got something I want to share with everyone, instead of answering a question from my readers.  I have so many friends at the shelter (even though I have never met them, they are still my friends) who need good homes.  I care about them and what they are going through because I used to live there.  I lived there more than once, and once for a very long time.  When a dog has to spend time at the shelter (even a really, really good one like ours), she is really happy when she gets adopted, but it also comes with all kinds of uncertainty at first, for the dogs and for their new family, and that’s what I want to talk about. I hope the information I am going to share with you is useful to Good Buddies and to future furever families.  

Take it from a dog who knows, it takes about 30 days to really settle into a new home.  You gotta figure out what your new family is all about and they need time to figure you out, too.  My biggest problem when I first got to my foster furever home was that I growled at anyone and anything that came near my bed or my food.  Oh, boy, was THAT ever a no-no.  My foster new mom looked at me really serious and made me move away from whatever I was growling about and I knew she meant business.  She didn't act all lovey and nice the way I like it.  One time I had to wait until the other dogs in the house were completely done with their dinner before I got to eat.  One time I growled at my foster new dad because he wanted me to get down off of his bed where I was sleeping all warm and cuddled up next to my foster new mom.  He did the weirdest thing ... he went and got a bag of irresistible treats and bribed me off of the bed.  He did it over and over again until now I get down off the bed and I don't even know why I'm doing it. 

So, the reason I'm telling you this is because when your shelter dog gets to her furever home, she might make some mistakes and do things that you don't like.  I'm here to tell you, it's a stressful situation and we need a second chance or two to get it right while we are settling in.  

Here's a few little tips I think will help explain what I'm talking about (some of these ideas are quoted from petfinder.com):

Before your shelter dog new family member gets to your house, set things up something like this:

• Determine where your dog will be spending most of her time. Because she will be under a lot of stress with the change of environment (from shelter or foster home to your house), she may forget any housebreaking (if any) she’s learned at the shelter and/or from her Good Buddy. Often a kitchen will work best for easy clean-up.
• If you plan on crate training your dog, be sure to have a crate set-up and ready to go for when you bring your new dog home. 
• Dog-proof the area where your pooch will spend most of her time during the first few months. This may mean taping loose electrical cords to baseboards; storing household chemicals on high shelves; removing plants, rugs, and breakables; setting up the crate, and installing baby gates.
• Training your dog will start the first moment you have her. Take time to create a vocabulary list everyone will use when giving your dog directions. (Be sure you ask for the notes from your dog's Good Buddy about commands she has learned while in the Good Buddy Program, or that she might already know from a previous owner.  The shelter staff is great about sharing this type of information.)  This will help prevent confusion and help your dog learn her commands more quickly. 
• Bring an ID tag with your phone number on it with you when you pick up your dog so that she has an extra measure of safety for the ride home and the first few uneasy days. If she is microchipped, be sure to register your contact information with the chip’s company.

First Day:

• We know moving is stressful — and your new dog feels the same way! Give her time to acclimate to your home and family before introducing her to strangers. Make sure children know how to approach the dog without overwhelming her. Please respect the information the shelter has shared with you about your new dog.  If you have adopted a dog that is not good around other dogs, please respect that information.  The shelter staff is very well-trained in evaluating dogs and their behavior towards people and other dogs.  If you have adopted a dog that has issues around other dogs, don't push that boundary, especially in the first few days.  You might be able to help her overcome that issue with time, but it won't happen right away.  And for dog's sake, please, it's probably never a good idea to take that dog to the dog park. Not good for your dog or the other dogs in the park.  
• When you pick up your dog, remember to ask what and when she was fed. Replicate that schedule for at least the first few days to avoid gastric distress. If you wish to switch to a different brand, do so over a period of about a week by adding one part new food to three parts of the old for several days; then switch to half new food, half old, and then one part old to three parts new. 
• On the way home, your dog should be safely secured, preferably in a crate. Some dogs find car trips stressful, so having her in a safe place will make the trip home easier on her and you. 

• Once home, take her to her toileting area immediately and spend a good amount of time with him so she will get used to the area and relieve herself. Even if your dog does relieve herself during this time, be prepared for accidents. Coming into a new home with new people, new smells and new sounds will throw even the most housebroken dog off-track, so be ready just in case. 
• If you plan on crate training your dog, leave the crate open so that she can go in whenever she feels like it in case she gets overwhelmed. 
• From there, start your schedule of feeding, toileting and play/exercise. From Day One, your dog will need family time and brief periods of solitary confinement. Don’t give in and comfort her if she whines when left alone. Instead, give her attention for good behavior, such as chewing on a toy or resting quietly .

• For the first few days, remain calm and quiet around your dog, limiting too much excitement (such as the dog park (even for dog-friendly dogs) or neighborhood children). Not only will this allow your dog to settle in easier, it will give you more one-on-one time to get to know her and her likes/dislikes.
• If she came from another home, objects like leashes, hands, rolled up newspapers and magazines, feet, chairs and sticks are just some of the pieces of inappropriate “training equipment” that may have been used on this dog. Words like “come here” and “lie down” may bring forth a reaction other than the one you expect.Or maybe she led a sheltered life and was never socialized to children or sidewalk activity. This dog may be the product of a never-ending series of scrambled communications and unreal expectations that will require patience on your part.

Following Weeks:

• People often say they don’t see their dog’s true personality until several weeks after adoption. Your dog will be a bit uneasy at first as she gets to know you. Be patient and understanding while also keeping to the schedule you intend to maintain for feeding, walks, etc. This schedule will show your dog what is expected of her as well as what she can expect from you.

• After discussing it with your veterinarian to ensure your dog has all the necessary vaccines, you may wish to take your dog to group training classes or the dog park. Pay close attention to your dog’s body language to be sure she’s having a good time — and is not fearful or a dog park bully. 

• To have a long and happy life together with your dog, stick to the original schedule you created, ensuring your dog always has the food, potty time and attention she needs. You’ll be bonded in no time! 

• If you encounter behavior issues you are unfamiliar with, ask your veterinarian for a trainer recommendation. Select a trainer who uses positive-reinforcement techniques to help you and your dog overcome these behavior obstacles. 

Congratulations! If you follow these tips, you’ll be on your way to having a well-adjusted canine family member.

See you next week.  Keep those Ask Annie questions coming.  I love them all!!!